Cessna 172 N6508K

Summary

On 2 July 2018 at about 11:20 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N6508K was involved in an accident near Troy, Michigan, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 July 2018 at 11:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Troy, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

Oakland/Troy (VLL)

Coordinates

42.5428, -83.1789

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N6508K

Category

Airplane

Year built

1980

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Troy → Troy

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dawn

NTSB number

GAA18CA391

Nobody was injured.

The student pilot’s failure to maintain a proper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, porpoised landing during an aborted go-around.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The solo student pilot reported that, during landing, the airplane slowed, and the stall warning sounded as the main landing gear contacted the runway. He added that it appeared that the airplane had landed, but he then observed the nose drop below the horizon. He added power to go around, but the nosewheel impacted the runway, and the airplane pitched "rearward." Subsequently, the airplane porpoised, the nose landing gear strut collapsed, and he aborted the go-around. The student taxied the airplane to park without further incident. The flight instructor reported that he witnessed that the airplane on approach was a little flat but did not appear to be unstable. The student then pitched the airplane for the numbers, the airplane floated down the runway, and it then touched down in a flat attitude. Subsequently, the airplane bounced 2 to 3 ft, porpoised, and the student was then able to taxi from the runway. The flight instructor added that the student was too late on the flare and that all of the energy came down on the nosewheel. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system at the airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 250° at 7 knots. The student pilot landed the airplane on runway 27.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.